The Madison market right now
Sales figures: Redfin Data Center, market tracker (Redfin, a national real estate brokerage), Madison, WI metro area, May 2026, all residential property types. Typical value: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026, mid-tier homes, seasonally adjusted. These are area-wide figures, not a value for any one home.
With about 2.5 months of supply, this is a market that leans toward sellers by the usual rule of thumb, and homes sold at or above their list price on average.
Show the numbers
| Month | Median sale price |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | $460,000 |
| Apr 2026 | $447,900 |
| Mar 2026 | $451,000 |
| Feb 2026 | $428,428 |
| Jan 2026 | $430,000 |
| Dec 2025 | $419,950 |
| Nov 2025 | $426,000 |
| Oct 2025 | $440,000 |
| Sep 2025 | $425,000 |
| Aug 2025 | $433,627 |
| Jul 2025 | $447,225 |
| Jun 2025 | $449,900 |
| May 2025 | $450,000 |
| Apr 2025 | $429,950 |
| Mar 2025 | $420,000 |
| Feb 2025 | $427,450 |
| Jan 2025 | $410,000 |
| Dec 2024 | $400,000 |
| Nov 2024 | $419,000 |
| Oct 2024 | $419,400 |
| Sep 2024 | $410,000 |
| Aug 2024 | $425,000 |
| Jul 2024 | $439,950 |
| Jun 2024 | $440,000 |
| May 2024 | $420,000 |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Madison, WI metro area. Monthly figures, not seasonally adjusted, so some ups and downs are just the time of year.
What the metro area covers
The Census Bureau counts about 707,606 people in the Madison, WI metro area, across 4 counties. Property taxes, recording fees and some transfer taxes are set county by county, so check the county your home is in.
| County | Population (2024 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Dane County, WI | 588,347 |
| Columbia County, WI | 58,113 |
| Green County, WI | 37,183 |
| Iowa County, WI | 23,963 |
Towns with the most ZIP codes in the area: Madison, Sun Prairie, Dodgeville, Lodi, Portage, Arlington, Cambria, Columbus, Doylestown, Fall River, Friesland, Pardeeville.
Population and counties: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates and 2023 metro delineations.
Wisconsin rules that affect sellers
Transfer tax
Wisconsin charges a real estate transfer fee of 30 cents for each $100 of value ($3 per $1,000, or 0.3%). By statute the grantor (the seller) pays it, and the seller files an electronic Real Estate Transfer Return. There is no separate county or city transfer tax; the fee is collected by the county register of deeds.
Source: Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Real Estate Transfer Return (RETR) Overview
Seller disclosure
Yes. Under Wis. Stat. section 709.02, sellers generally must give the buyer a completed Real Estate Condition Report within 10 days after accepting an offer. (Source is a Wisconsin law firm summary because the state statutes site could not be reached.)
Source: DeWitt LLP, Wisconsin Real Estate Condition Reports (secondary source)
Who handles the closing
Wisconsin does not require an attorney to be present at closing, and title companies commonly handle residential closings on their own, though either party may hire an attorney to represent them. (Source is a Madison, Wisconsin law firm summary because no official page stating the custom was found.) Customs vary by area; confirm with your title company or attorney.
Source: Knoll Greller Law, What Does a Wisconsin Real Estate Attorney Do at Closing? (secondary source)
Also worth knowing
If the seller does not deliver the Real Estate Condition Report within 10 days, or it is incomplete, the buyer may cancel within two business days. A buyer may also cancel after receiving a report that discloses a defect, unless the buyer already knew about it when making the offer.
Source: DeWitt LLP, Wisconsin Real Estate Condition Reports (secondary source)
Also worth knowing
The transfer fee is rounded up: it is charged for each $100 of value or fraction of $100, so a $400,000 sale carries a $1,200 fee.
Source: Richland County Register of Deeds, Real Estate Transfer
Checking an agent's license
Real estate agents in Wisconsin are licensed by the Wisconsin Real Estate Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services). You can look up any agent before you work with them.
Rules checked 2026-09-30. They change, and local practice varies: confirm with your title company, closing attorney or agent before relying on them. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.